The Strang Ranch is a family owned and run business. It is a working cattle ranch and a sport horse breeding operation as well as a busy equestrian center, hosting many hunter/jumper and dressage shows, clinics and daily lessons. With some recently acquired land we now have a small cross country course great for introducing young riders and horses to riding and jumping outside. It is also the hub of the local Pony Club hosting weekly riding sessions, rallies and fun days.

The ranch lies on 460 Acres of irrigated and pasture land in Western Colorado with outstanding views of the Elk Mountain Range, 25 miles from the Aspen Airport.

There is extensive trail riding, a recognized fox hunt, and an extensive hunter/jumper training barn.

There are no words to describe the life you lived - you were amazing in every aspect of your life. We love you Lados.

On a perfect Colorado spring day in 2008, a perilous run down a chute atop Mount Sopris took the life of Lathrop Strang. His death shocked and saddened the valley and a void lingers where his intellect and energy contributed so much.

Lathrop served on the board of Aspen Valley Land Trust for six years, and before that was a member to the board of Western Colorado Agricultural Heritage Fund, which merged with AVLT in 2002. Land conservation, particularly that of working ranches, was Lathrop’s passion. He felt strongly that humans as well as animals need open spaces and land to grow food and fuel.

Lathrop’s parents Mike and Kit, brother Scott and sisters Laurie and Bridget, asked that in lieu of flowers, people make a donation to a selected non-profits, including AVLT. The Lathrop Strang Memorial Fund helps defray some of the costs landowners incur in donation a conservation easement. The funds are used to conserve working ranches that have been in one family for at least 25 years. Lathrop is no longer here to advocate for ranchers and ranching, but he continues to help insure that ranching remains in the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys.

Bridget has been on the farm, and around horses her whole life. She achieved her “A” rating in Pony Club, evented at the Advanced level for several years on a home bred horse, has shown up threw fourth Level USDF, and shown cutting horses at the NCHA western states championships. She shows at numerous AA rated shows, and has qualified and taken several students and horses for the national championships at Harrisburg and Washington. Both the hunter and jumper business and the lesson program focus on healthy, happy horses and riders. She used to breed sport horses, and enjoys developing the young horses as well as the young riders.

She enjoys developing young horses and students, as well as teaching the amateurs.

We are back from California and the ranch is in full swing. We have hosted two CWHJA Horse shows, and both were a tremendous success!! We have been to two horse shows and Sue and Paddy have continued thier winning ways in the A/O jumpers. They are off the Spruce Meadows and we wish them all the luck in the world!!
Freckles and Leah seen here smiling about a Championship ribbon at their second show together!!
We have recently attended the Mega Rally in High Prairie where our riders come home with masses of blue ribbons!!! Lilly in Tetrathlon won every event in her division, and the D team won their show jumping rally!! Pony Club has been a wonderful avenue for developing horsemanship and showmanship in the kids.
We also have three new foals on the ranch!! Check out the breeding page for more information on these three beautiful fillies.

The Year started with a sheepdog trial in Denver, and also with a win. What a great way to start the year!!!!!!! We attended the National Western Stock show in Denver in January, with the Strang Ranch represented in the bovine show with the Max’s Lowline heifers, and the canine division with Rosie in the sheepdog trial. The horses were already in California with my able bodied assistant Kristy Gregg. Mike, Kit, Bridget, Nellie, Treat and Rosie -in one truck...- all headed west the end of January. Arriving just in time to help Bob Peitrzak show his horse Cubano in the first week of shows at the Desert Horse Park in Thermal. It took us a couple weeks to get our horses in the show ring, but by week three Martha McCoys’ horse Sandro Bear had picked up great ribbons in the pre-green, Phillip was getting checks in the huge level five jumpers, and the Devan’s pony Benedicta Blue was winning in the Large Green Ponies. By the end of the circuit Laura Peitrzak had joined us with her two horses, Carolyn Miller had jumped Himself clean and fast in the Adult jumpers, and the young horses were getting a dose of horse show reality.

We hurried home to MUD and Cold, but also a trip to Hawaii with family. A few days in a rain forest, and a few days on a beach- and everything was put right!!!!!! .Back at it at the Ranch, we hosted a mock horse show to get the new kids ready for the upcoming horse show season. The little girls that were just learning to canter it seems were now learning about courses, and lead changes. Their preparation paid off as all had am amazing show season. I am so proud of them all. In May we canceled our local horse show because who wants to show in SNOW!!! and went to high Prairie for two weeks instead. We won a little, {Sandro Bear was Champion in the Pre-Green Hunters} learned a lot and had a great time. It was fun getting back to horse showing!!! Summer here we come.

The dog trialing ramped up a notch with three dog trials to participate in in the spring. Dogs were great, handler needs a lot of work- final score..... dogs and Bridget zero- sheep 12.... It seems that our success early was not indicative of our summer success. We are learning a lot, and am proud to say that by the time August rolled around I was back on track and Treat just two yrs old won his first open Ranch trial at Nicomodes Dog Trial in Alamosa Colorado. He also went on to win a nursery in October, on his home turf and get his first “leg” in qualifying for the National Finals in 2011. Rosie remains the finest stock dog you could ever want, patient, strong and smarter than all of us.

June at the ranch brought our first CWHJA horse show at the ranch and two others in the Valley. Greg Best came from New Zealand for a fabulous jumping clinic the end of the month. This man has the history of top competition both as a rider and a coach at the Olympic level. His extensive clinic schedule has him teaching thousands of riders in a year. With all that experience behind him it is no wonder he is a master teacher and trainer. We look forward to next years clinic. We thought so much of our time with him, we ventured over the mountains and rode with him again in August at Plum Creek Hollow. Thank you Greg for all your time and patience. Maria Wasson also came to the ranch monthly for our flat work tune ups. June was also the start of our first annual summer pony camp. This was a huge success. Deciding that the kids needed a little more than diagonals and leads in their riding we established the camp. Our goals to teach some of the things that our kids miss not being a part of Pony Club, and have some good old fashioned fun!!! I think we succeeded on both counts. Courtney and Amy helped run them with the able assistance of Skylar. This is definitely on for next year. And I am sure we will be a sell out.

July and August brought more horse shows. Local shows were a blast with my crew of kids. I am so grateful for my wonderful ponies- Bell, Freckles, Cloudy and Bonni. Each pony teaches a different lesson, so with the kids switching ponies each month the end result is a very capable rider, and a lot of RIBBONS!!! Martha McCoy and her horse Sandro Bear collected a Championship ribbon at Estes Park in August. September brought us to fall High Prairie where Strang Ranches Artie and Carolyn Devan topped the Children’s hunter for a Championship ribbon.
October brought the dog trial, and another perfect perfect autumn weekend. We had competitors from seven different states, there were lots of spectators and lots of interest was generated about next years trials. It was a wonderful weekend.
I would like to congratulate Beth Jaquet on the purchase of Nakota, and Michelle Marlow on the purchase of Wonder. I am so pleased that you both found your horses, and that they found you. Good luck!!
I am bracing for winter.... Fall was just too easy. Beautiful, warm sunny days made riding the three year olds fillies a reality. This time of new cold, frozen ground, and early dark nights is a hard transition. I will be happy when the snow is deep, and we can once again ride out on that fluffy, crystal cloud under the Colorado blue sky.

It has been a very full winter for the Strang Gang in Thermal California. WE took ten horses down, on a 18 hr trip that took four days… Fortunately we eventually did make it safe and sound to California with well rested horses and trucks in good working order with some new parts..?
We arrived on a Thursday, and Friday morning found ourselves at the Desert Circuit horse show!!! I think there was a week where there was not a show, but we were so busy clipping and unpacking and riding the winter out of our horses we hardly took notice. Before we knew it we were back at the horse show. With over twenty horses alternating show weeks, we were really busy for a solid seven weeks of horse shows!! Thank you all, for trusting us with their care and having the faith to send them to the show ring with us. Green horses are not always easy, and progress does not come at a steady pace. The horses were wonderful!! All those shows at Thermal had us very well prepared for our two weeks at the Oaks. Wonderview farms’ Quiet Time finished second in her 1.20meter classic at the Oaks, after several really good ribbons at Thermal in the very competitive level 5 jumpers. Carolyn Devan joined us for one week of showing, and catch rode “Top of my List” AKA Cooper to a reserve championship in the schooling pony hunter, and then stepped up to the Large Pony hunters. She did a wonderful job, and I was so proud of her figuring out a different pony, over huge jumps, in gale force winds!!!! The Strang horses, Fiona, Philip and Halleluljah, also had their successes, earning good ribbons from the pre-green hunters to the 1.30m jumpers.
Kristy Gregg will be managing the barn this summer. We also welcome Tara Hill from California here to do some riding and teaching. Hugh Coleby is also in residence starting and training colts. There will be three CWHJA hunter jumper shows at the ranch this summer, May 3rd, June 5 & 6, and August 29 & 30th. There are several clinics scheduled for this summer. Maria Wasson will be here May 15-16 and will be returning every month for her dressage/flat work/ good position clinics. Greg Eliel will be returning the end of June for his Horsemanship clinc. For many years Greg was a protégé of Ray Hunts´ and Buck Brannamans´. He is a very good teacher, and has a wonderful simple approach to problem solving. If you desire a straighter, softer, easier horse on the ground and riding, don´t miss this clinic. Please contact Bridget or Kit if you are interested in either of these clinics. Both clinics are open to all levels of riders.